Beginning After an End
by Crystal Frost
Summary: CHAPTER 21 HAS ARRIVED! Harry Potter, beginning his sixth year, while attempting to recover from Sirius's death he discovers a love for Ginny, a secret kept by his Potions master, and something about Mr. Malfoy he never expected. Love, mystery, the advent
1. Default Chapter

Dreams and Delusions  
  
Harry lie in bed staring up at the ceiling of the boy's dormitory. He was thinking about the past few days of school: the weird, but strangely fun assignments being given in McGonnagal's class of transforming your coloring (eye, skin, etc.), his late Godfather Sirius Black who he knew had to be somewhere waiting for him, the whereabouts and plans of Voldermort, and of course, Ginny.  
  
The year ended so abruptly last year with his Godfather dyinbg and he and Ginny both getting dumped at the same time that it seemed like fate to him. He didn't need Cho anyways, she couldn't even trust him to meet Hermione at Hogs Head. But Ginny trusted him. Oh yes, and not only about minor things like that. Ever since he saved her from the Basilisk in second year she trusted him with her life this had made him like her even more.  
  
She even cares about me more then Ron and Hermione now that they're so deep in their own relationship. Harry thought to himself. Ginny even comforts me about Sirius.  
  
He and Ginny were holding hands and walking down Hogsmead together. They passed Draco yelling, "Hey POTHEAD! Got yourself a girlfriend? And you can't do any better then a Weasley!" but Harry didn't care the slightest bit.  
  
He then passed Ron and Hermione who were snogging on a bench near a not-so-popular book shop. He turned to Ginny and looked into her face. She was so beautiful. Why did he waste four years? He looked ahead still grasping her hand and noticed a big, furry, black dog.  
  
"SIRIUS!"  
  
He ran towards it calling his name with so much hope but he just couldn't manage to reach him. Everyone around him was yelling, "He's gone Harry! He's dead!" Even Ron and Hermione stopped kissing for a moment to yell at him.  
  
"He's gone Harry! He's dead!"  
  
Harry, still holding Ginny's hand, started screaming in pain as tears streamed down his cheeks and he fell to his knees and Ginny knelt beside him. He rested his head against her, still whailing for Sirius but his calls got softer and softer. Ginny kissed him on the cheek and held him and comforted him.  
  
"Ginny!" he cried to her as though she were his last hope. "Sirius is there! Ginny he's here! We must find him Ginny! We have to! It's Sirius!  
  
"Ginny! Sirius! Ginny! Ginny!"  
  
Harry was rolling around in bed rapped in his sheets and Ron was leaning over him.  
  
"Harry! Get up!" Ron said  
  
Harry sat up in bed, surprised by his dream, and stared up at Ron stupidly. His hands were clasped together tightly and his face and back were sweating like mad.  
  
"You okay, mate?" Ron asked looking concerned  
  
"Er... yeah, why wouldn't I be?"  
  
" Well I kind of started to have my doubts when you started yelling my sister's name." Ron told him. "As if you had some sort of dream about her!" Ron said in a sarcastic mystic voice reminding Harry of Trelawney. "HA!" Ron laughted at himself as though that were more unlikely then the chances of he and Hermione splitting up.  
  
"Heh..." Harry muttered in a fake laugh. It seemed to satisfy Ron anyway. "Come along mate let's head down to the commonroom for breakfast." 


	2. New Loves and Losses

New Loves and Losses  
  
"Detention, Potter! I've had it with you!" Bellowed Snape as his lip curled.  
  
"What?!" exclaimed Harry.  
  
"Shut up now before you earn yourself a week's worth!" Snape said cruely. "You've spilled your potion twice this month!"  
  
"Actually professor, we've only been in school for a week, so Potter- "  
  
"Be quiet, Draco." Said Snape calmly and then focusing back on Harry. "Now, class dismissed. Potter, be in my office by 5'o clock this evening for scrubbing duty."  
  
Anger surged within Harry why did Snape have to be so mean? "He just loves seeing me in misery that's all." He told Ron and Hermione on the way back to the commonroom.  
  
At lunch break that day, the trio crowded around the fire, Harry doing History of Magic questions while Ron and Hermione did the Divination homework requiring two students. You're supposed to compare pulses by pressure and what the different beats meant by pressing your hands against another persons. For some reason, Hermione and Ron were extremely into their homework. That afternoon and were both closing their eyes and concentrating intensely. However, Harry knew they were concentrating more on each other's lips then anything else.  
  
Harry started asking them for advice on what he ought to do about Snape being so unfair, trying to ignore the minor detail of them snogging in front of him. They took a moment to respond by Harry was patient.  
  
"Your right - Harry," Hermione said distractedly. "You should - notify... Dumbledore.... or someth-" she cut off, giggling at Ron.  
  
"But Hermione, I - " Harry stopped realizing that his best friends were paying no attetion to him and gave them a discusted and annoyed look.  
  
"I'm going to visit Hagrid." He bellowed and then stood up and stormed off. Once he got outside the door, he slammed it and heard Hermione gasp. He thought about going back in to apologize but that was before he heard Ron murmuring "It's all right, Hermione. He'll come off it later. He just doesn't know what it's like..." he gave a little sound of reassurment and kissed her on the cheek, "...to be in love."  
  
"What gits!" Harry said to himself boiling with anger now. They thought they knew him so well, did they?  
  
They have no idea Harry thought  
  
"I do know what it's like.." then the word Ginny came out of his mouth randomly and a woman in a picture frame on the wall next to him burst into laughter. He didn't care though. Because somehow, even though he surprised himself, he knew it was true. 


	3. Passion and Peeves

Passion and Peeves  
  
Harry was just heading outside towards the forbidden forest where Hagrid's Hut stood on the border when he noticed Ginny sitting with a notebook on the grass writing peacefully in the sunlight. His heart leaped and then skipped a beat. She was so gorgeous! He noticed her motioning to look at him and he found himself turning away quickly and then, as he slowly turned back, he found her smiling at him. "Just say it!" he whispered to himself.  
  
"H-hey, Ginny!" he called a bit too quickly.  
  
"Hi, Harry," she said shyly biting her bottom lip. Harry started to walk towards where she was sitting. He felt very self-cautious and nervous as though he were being pushed towards her only to find out that he was. Peeves the Poltergeist was hooting with laughter when Harry turned to look and felt his ears turning red. Ginny was giggling and she gestured for Harry to come sit with her. Harry caught this hint and immediately strode towards her and sat down on the grass as several fourth years passed by.  
  
"What's up, Harry?" Ginny said. "You look a little uptight."  
  
Harry thought about whether or not he should tell Ginny about everything; his dreams, Hermione and Ron, Snape ... but how could he tell her this? He couldn't express his weaknesses to someone who looks up to him so much. But in the dream she respected him and even made it better...  
  
"Well, I.." he began. "You know, er- Sirius.." he once again felt a horribly painful pangof guilt and hurt in his chest. Ginny saw him flinch and a look of caring-sorrow spread across her face causing her to put her arm around him and gently stroke his neck which comforted him and eased the pain.  
  
"He died for you, Harry," she said tilting her head down so that she could see into his piercing green eyes. "Okay? And that's how he would have wanted to die."  
  
He looked back at her. Her eyes were only inches from his and gleamed making the pain in his chest be replaced by happiness and warmth. He though about kissing her... her lips were just so close to his... but he decided to save it.  
  
"I know you're right," he responded. He stretched his arms around her in return and pulled her into a hug. After the wonderful embrace ended Harry quietly said in her ear,  
  
"I was just going to visit Hagrid. You want to come?" He asked hopefully now looking into her eyes again and his hands remaining one on her shoulder and the other around her waiste. He knew she could see the pleading in his eyes and hear it in his tone.  
  
"All right Harry. I'll go for you." 


	4. Handling Heartache

Handling Heartache  
  
Harry and Ginny walked across the lawn together towards Hagrid's hut, not speaking a word. Both of them were taking in the crisp, cool air. Harry found it quite soothing as though a magical herb was being soaked into his skin, completely calming him and resting him.  
  
They knocked on Hagrid's door and heard Fang barking inside excitedly at the sound of company.  
  
"Oh, hi Harry!" Hagrid said happily. "...and who yeh got here?"  
  
"This is Ginny, Ron's little sister." Ginny waved and smiled at Hagrid, edging closer to Harry as Fang attempted to lick her.  
  
"Oh! A'course it is." Hagrid said looking guilty. "Sorry is' jus' I don' expect seein' you with Harry when he cut himself off for a second looking slightly shocked. "Wait, where are Ron and Hermione?"  
  
Harry froze. "I-er-it's..." both Hagrid and Ginny were gazing at him waiting for a full-sentence explanation. He might as well just give them a summary.  
  
"Oh..." harry said finally, giving up, "It's just, they don't really treat me as a close friend anymore now that they're going out." He said quickly looking at his feet, and he plopped down in a huge chair and sighed. Ginny sat beside him.  
  
"I see," Hagrid replied while fixing them a cup of tea. "Well, ter tell yeh the truth, they haven' been treatin' me the best either." Harry gave Hagrid a questioning look and he continued.  
  
"They came ter my ouse a couple days back excitin' me fer a nice visit," he said taking a gulp of tea. "But, after a couple a minutes they ended up making me leave the room.  
  
"But I didn't stay gone fer long!" he said sternly straightening his beard. "No way, I wasn' abou' ter let 'em do that in my house!"  
  
Harry caught Ginny's eye and they both broke into laughter at the thought of Ron and Hermione.  
  
"It's strange, and I'm sure sometimes gross for you, Harry," Ginny said with her hands on her knees. "But," she continued. "Don't take it too personally. Because you don't even know what it's like to love so deeeply like them, you know?"  
  
Harry didn't know what to say. Why was everyone telling him this? "They all have no idea what I'm feeling," Harry thought to himself.  
"Y-yes I do." Harry mumbled. Suddenly regretting these words.  
  
"Yeh do?" Hagrid said.  
  
"You've been in love, Harry?" Ginny asked looking interested. Wondering why he'd said this, Harry responded worriedly, "Y-no I mean yes!."  
  
"Really? Who?" Ginny pleaded excitedly scooting to the edge of the chair they were shaing, not taking her eyes off of him. He looked back at her, his lip twitching nervously. He wanted to tell her, but not in front of Hagrid.  
  
"N-nevermind," he muttered. Ginny looked very disappointed.  
  
"Well, tough stuff that business with Malfoy, eh?"  
  
~* Keep reviewing you guys! I want to know what you think so I can know if I should keep writing or if it sucks, or what. Thanks for the few reviews so far though! I hope you like it!*~ 


	5. Lucius and Lupin

~*Hey I heard that the italicized text wasn't working so from now on  
anything that would have been italicized will be in these *~  
  
Lucius and Lupin  
  
"What?" Ginny and Harry said together. "What about him?"  
  
"Yeh haven' heard? S'all over tha Daily Prophet, it is!"  
  
"WHAT IS?"  
  
"All right. Malfoy was caught in the same graveyard you were taken to after the Triwizard Tournament Harry. He, er - was caught destroyin' yer Godfather's toumbstone and cursin' at it. An' all though tha cursin' angered 'em, tha fact that that graveyard is forbidden to all 'cept the Aurors ever since you prove you were telling the truth is what led him to his punishment." Hagrid continued after glancing at a shcoked Ginny and a furious Harry.  
  
"...Sentenced ter three months in Azkaban an' also -"  
  
"What's he got against Sirius?!" Harry bellowed standing up abruptly as his stomach churned with pain and fury.  
  
"Harry sit down!" Ginny said clasping his hand and forcing him down. "We're on your side remember?"  
  
"Why the hell wasn't he fired from the ministry then?!" Harry asked Hagrid ignoring Ginny's tugging down finally succeeding in pulling him to the chair yet he was still breathing hard.  
  
"Oh you know that filthy Cornelius Fudge got nothing against Lucius and his place in the Ministry give him the power to announce him innocent. Filthy son of a - " Hagrid then slammed him cup down on the class as tea spilled all over.  
  
Harry's fists were clenched. Harry thought to himself.   
  
"So Harry," Ginny said changing the subject. "What do you think of the new defense against the dark arts teacher?" Ginny said smiling and nudging him.  
  
"Er- haven't had him yet. I have him this afternoon. How is he?" Harry asked  
  
"How IS he?" Ginny said laughing. "It's Lupin! He's back!" 


	6. Detention and Defense Class

Detention and Defense Class  
  
"LUPIN? Where ?! When, how?!" Harry's insides flipped with excitement and his heart filled with joy. He may not have Sirius, but he has Sirius's best friend which is second best. Plus, Lupin is the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher he's ever had! Lupin saved his life once, and his teaching saved him several times. This was the best thing that's happened to him the whole year.  
  
"Goodness Harry! In the Defense room, for this whole year, and because Dumbledore asked him."  
  
"But what about The Order of Phoenix?"  
  
"Harry I don't know!" Ginny said laughing again at his enthusiasm and surprise. "You'll have to ask him yourself this afternoon. Now we better get going. You'll get to see Lupin and I have Herbology to head to, and then potions," Ginny said elbowing him.  
  
"Yeah and I got my Care of Magical Creatures class ter be headin' to."  
  
"Thanks for the tea, Hagrid!" said Harry, spirits lifted. And he and Ginny walked back to the castle together.  
  
* * * *  
  
Harry walked into class and sat down beside Hermione who was holding hands with Ron under the table. "How pathetic," Harry thought to himself. Lupin strode into his classroom in his torn robes. The entire class gasped and Ron and Hermione sat up in there chairs and stared. The entire class was murmuring and some called out, "Welcome back Lupin!" and "Great to see you again, professor!" Harry simply beamed at him and Lupin smiled back.  
  
"Hello class, thank you for the warm welcome. I am very happy to be back." Lupin said. Hope you all had a decent summer?" There were mumbles of "All right," and "well, thank you." And Lupin responded, "Yes my summer was fantastic also. Spent with Tonks in Italy. Very lovely." A few students whistled and Lupin simply smiled looked down as he turned red and quickly looked back up.  
  
"Yes, well, today, we will be learning the Patronous which I believe will be extremely useful to you all this year since the Dementors are now on Voldermort's side." A few students gasped at the name but Harry simply watched Lupin with interest.  
"So," Lupin continued, "I believe everyone should have their wands out!" Students bustled for their wand, Neville couldn't find his, but Lupin simply muttered "Accio Neville's wand!" and it came flying out of no where. "Harry can I speak to you, for a moment?"  
  
"Yes, Harry." Lupin said after he pulled him aside and rested a hand on Harry's shoulder and looked down at him. "Now, Harry I know you've already learned this from me three years ago, and I'm sorry for making this period boring for you, but it was a request from Dumbledore that I teach it the patronous to the sixth years now that the dementors are on Voldermort's side."  
  
"Oh, It's no problem, professor..." Harry liked being able to call him that again. "Lupin, I'm so glad your back! I expected the worst for this years Defense Against the Dark Arts class." Harry said in a grateful tone.  
  
"Oh, well, Harry I'm glad. Thank you for understanding. Well, now we better continue." Lupin gestured Harry back to his seat and Harry got out his wand like the rest of the class had done while they were talking.  
  
"Now class, repeat after me: Expecto Patronum" Lupin instructed. The whole classroom murmurred it back.  
  
"Yes very good," Lupin said. The class continued with the boggart and Paravati, Hermione, Harry, and Dean were the only people that got it first try. But after a while the whole class had formed a patronous at least once.  
  
The class finally concluded. Yes, it was a bit boring for Harry learning the Patronous again, however he was so pleased to have Lupin back that it was nothing more then a mere setback.  
  
****  
  
After dinner, Harry headed off to the Dungeons where Snape was waiting for him and dreaded scrubbing duty recklessly. The evening was cold and as he stepped down the stone walkway he heard dripping in the distance and cries coming from the Dark Forest He tried to look out the high window to see what it was when he heard the sound of scrubbing already in the room. He tried to forget about the crying and ran into the room to see who was doing his job for him.  
  
"Ginny?! What are you doing here?" Harry yelled in a sound of happiness. Ginny looked up to see Harry and she flushed.  
  
"Oh, Harry! I had scrubbing duty detention. Snape told me you'd be here. I thought he was doing it just to get me excited but, he was telling the truth! It's so good to see you again."  
  
"Wait," Harry said gingerly, "Where is Snape?"  
  
"Ginny, who was still mopping the stone floors didn't even look up when she answered and said, "Oh he just left said he had a couple things to do and that I better not touch his potions or else I'd be suspended and then told me to tell you the same thing and then he just, disappeared I guess."  
  
"Disappeared," Harry murmured to himself.  
  
"What?" said Ginny.  
  
"Oh nothing, nevermind. Sorry." Harry looked at her nervously.  
  
"Well, let's get started then, shall we?" 


	7. Affection Increasing

Affection Increasing  
  
Harry knelt gripped the mop tightly as he began to clean the hard, stone floor. Snape's room was a mess, cluttered with all sorts of debris and spilled potions and dirty floors, It wouldn't be a wonder if they were there all night.  
  
"So, what did you do to get here?" Harry asked Ginny as he took a turn with mopping as she scrubbed the floor below him.  
  
"Oh I was talking to Luna when he was giving us instructions. You know? And my potion turned out bright green and it was supposed to be a bluish, milky gray. Oh well, this isn't so bad is it. I have to admit," She said shyly, "I'm very glad your here."  
  
Harry's stomach did a flip and he walked nearer to where she was scrubbing. Her crisp red locks flowing to the motion of her hand; focusing so hard and scrubbing so intensely, Harry almost fell when she yelled,  
  
"Damn this part is tough," Ginny said working really hard to scrub off something stuck to the ground. Harry knelt down beside her and she hardly noticed. He hesitated at first and then rested his hand on top of hers which was still grasping the rag. He felt her tense up and flush to the color of her hair and he said, "Here let me help you. Why don't you do It more like this:" Harry showed her a circle movement rather then back and forth. Then they stopped.  
  
Ginny looked up at him, deep into his crisp emerald green eyes. Harry could see she was nervous because her lip was twitching. Harry was nervous too but excited. His heart was racing so fast he almost couldn't keep up with it. They scooted closer to each other causing Harry's knee to go between her leg and her leg stretched straight out. she is so beautiful! Harry thought to himself. I think I love this girl. He thought again.  
  
Before they knew it their lips were collided together and they found each other's necks and faces to stroke even with their eyes closed. Harry never felt a kiss like this before; never in his entire life had he experienced so much passion and true love. So this is what Hermione and Ron ... his mind was cut off as Ginny broke away from the kiss and searched his eyes for a sign. A sign of how this came to be. Harry didn't know what to look like so he pushed her down gently and kissed her passionately and he ran his fingers up and down her arm making her shiver.  
  
Harry broke away, still leaning over her and whispered, "Ginny I love you." Into her ear. She simply stared at his face for a second to long and then she stood up moving away from him and wiped the dust off her body from the ground.  
  
Harry was confused, shouldn't he have said that? She had been so sweet and caring and loving before; looking into his eyes, and finally when he gets the courage to speak up, she turns away.  
  
"Come on I think we're done in here. Let's go." Ginny murmured without looking at him. 


	8. Planning and Pondering

Planning and Pondering  
  
Days went by and Harry still couldn't put his finger down on the reason Ginny had broken away. Was it because she didn't love him back? Was it because she had another boyfriend already? The possibilities were endless. Harry was going to look into this, but in the meantime Harry had more important things to look into. The dreams about Sirius were getting worse and the cries that he heard in the distance were getting louder. He hadn't the slightest idea of what they were but he was determined to find out.  
  
Harry strode into breakfast on the morning of Halloween. Students were bustling around at their house table. Harry caught Ginny's eye, but she turned back to talking to Luna quickly. Ron and Hermione had saved Harry a seat to his surprise and so he plopped down across from them.  
  
"Hello Harry!" Hermione said gleefully. "Beautiful day isn't it?" Harry looked out the window. It was raining harder then it had the whole year and Hermione burst into laughter. Ron put his arm around her and Harry sighed.  
  
"So what's new, mate?" Ron said stuffing his mouth with a pancake. Harry thought about telling him about Ginny but then decided that Ron would only get mad at him. But there was something he thought they should know about.  
  
"All right, you guys, listen. I've been hearing a strange noise in the distance for nearly the past two months." Harry spoke quietly and chose his words gingerly. "It sounds like somethings yelling, or screeching, or squeeling in the distance."  
  
"Where are the sounds coming from Harry?" Hermione asked, leaning on Ron's shoulder. Harry tried to ignore it.  
  
"The Dark Forest."  
  
Ron let out a squeeling noise as if to say 'I'm not going back in there!'  
  
"But you guys, I need your help! I can't go in there by myself."  
  
"All right fine. What do we have to do now? Follow the cockroaches?" Ron said shuddering.  
  
"No you idiot! Harry's just told us," Hermione said. "Follow the cries!"  
  
"Thanks you guys. I'll meet you in the entryway with my invisibility cloak at 9:00 sharp tonight. No exceptions. Just don't get yourself into detention tonight, Ron."  
  
"Aight mate, we'll be there." 


	9. Forbidden Forest and Frights

~* I think you guys are gonna love this chapter! I sure did! And I made it longer just for u! *~  
  
Forbidden Forest and Frights  
  
The Halloween feast was lovely that evening with lemon drops, cockroach clusters, chocolate frogs, butter beers, lemon squares, toffee, candy apples, and endless sweets covering the tables. Unfortunately Harry wasn't eating any of it because he had lost his appetite from a glare Luna gave him. She had been spending a lot of time with Ginny lately that Harry thought that just had to be from something he did to Ginny. Also, he was very nervous about going into that forest. But he was okay he knew he'd be all right with his Father's old cloak.  
  
After the feast he headed up to his dorm to get ready. He passed Lavender and Paravati who were giggling in a corner and pointing at Harry.  
  
"What?" Harry barked at them. They stopped giggling and Paravti walked towards him smiling.  
  
"There's a rumor going around that you snogged Ginny Weasley. Now how did that come about?" Harry was to lost for words. Who had been there watching him? Who had seen the whole thing? Did Ginny tell them?  
  
"Well?" Paravati pressured him. Harry didn't know what to say. He just turned and proceeded to his dormitory. He didn't know what to think. Endless possibilities flowed through his mind but then he realized he couldn't focus on this right now. He was just about to head into the dark forest. He had to get ready.  
  
Harry took his wand and tucked it neatly into his robes and then dug through his trunk to get out his cloak. This was the perfect time to prepare since most everyone was still down at the feast in the great hall. Harry reached the bottom of his trunk and noticed the broken pieces of the mirror Sirius had given him. His chest burned with fury and sadness once again, he couldn't cry... he wouldn't...  
  
Wiping his face, Harry got out his wand, pointed it at the scattered pieces and muttered, "Arculus Reparo!" under his breath. All the broken pieces came together to form the mirror once again. Sirius had told him that any time he'd wanted to talk to him all he had to do was speak into the mirror. Harry shook the memory out of his head and tucked the mirror into his cloak. It was time to go.  
  
Harry made his way down the corridor in his cloak and waited for Hermione and Ron.  
  
9:05 Not there yet.  
  
9:10 Still not there.  
  
9:15 Still not there and Harry began to become furious  
  
9:20 Now Harry was worried. In the distanice he heard the cries. He started off on his own, but then...  
  
"No! Please! Get away!" It was Ginny's voice a couple hallways away. Harry ran towards her voice. Who could it be! No, she'll be just fine Harry told himself. He finally reaches her and saw a Dementor striding closer to her. She began to look hazy. Her wand was out, but she didn't know how to use it. Harry sprinted towards her, rapped his arm around her from behind and begin muttering the most useful spell he'd ever learned.  
  
"Expecto Patronum! Expecto Patronum!" Nothing yet. Harry began to hear his mother screaming. "No please! Not Harry!" "Step aside you silly girl!"  
"EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A silvery stag finally slid out of Harry's wand and took the Dementor away. Harry and Ginny both collapsed onto the ground. Harry's arm was still around her and she leaned against his chest.  
  
"Harry! OH my goodness! Harry! I," harry slid his other hand around her to cover her mouth and he leaned against the wall and she was still leaning on him.  
  
"Don't talk it's okay. He's gone now."  
  
"HARRY! You don't understand. He, he, OH HARRY! They took Hermione and Ron! They didn't perform the kiss or anything they just picked Hermione and Ron up and took them away!" Ginny turned around to look at Harry's face. It was blank. He didn't know what to think. He should have known that they wouldn't have flaked out on him. He should have known something terrible must have happened.  
  
"Oh, Gods" Harry murmurred. She looked him in the face to search for an answer since he was hardly breathing.  
  
"I-we-I have to save them." Harry breathed  
  
"No, WE have to save them. I'm going with you Harry." Harry gave her a grateful look and she leaned in and kissed him passionately and then said, "Let's go." And they were off, hand in hand, under the invisibility cloak, off to the Dark Forest. 


	10. Vast Vacancies and Vampires

~*Author's Note: Thanks Pixie5252 your my most devoted reader! I appreciate it! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!*~  
  
Vast Vacancies and Vampires  
  
Ginny walked in front of Harry her back pressed against his body as they waked. He held his left arm around her shoulders and chest pressing her against him and in his right hand he held his wand in the air lighting their pathway. He whispered in her ear,  
  
"Which way did u see them go, Ginny?" She was flustered by the sound of him saying her name.  
  
"We're going the right way I think." She murmurred back. He held his wand high and grasped Ginny tighter against him when he heard the loud screeching noise again. It sounded to be coming from the area where Hagrid kept his baby giant Quap. Ginny made a quiet scream, startled by the scream and Harry held her tighter.  
  
"Don't worry," He assured her. "I've heard it before. And I promise I'll protect you from whatever it is." She whispered a "thanks" and adjusted herself in his arms snuggling up to him as they continued walking carefully.  
  
After what seemed like hours, they heard it again, making them both jump.  
  
"Look Harry! Look there!" Ginny said in a loud whisper. Harry focused in the direction she was pointing. There was Snape. Blood all over his mouth.  
  
"Harry!" Said Ginny in a confused voice. "He looks as though he's sucking blood from the air." Ginny murmurred.  
  
"No." Harry said. For he knew what that meant. "He's drinking the blood of a Thestral." Harry said in another undertone.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You can only see them if you've seen death," Harry said quietly and without expression. Ginny turned around to see that Harry, hadn't changed his position behind her, yet he couldn't take his eyes off of Snape.  
  
"Harry? Are you okay?" Ginny said in a concerned tone of voice.  
  
"Yes." Harry said in the same, non-expression voice that frightened Ginny. Suddenly, Snape transformed into a bat and started flapping his wings high into the sky, obviously having had his fill of thestral blood. Harry felt discusted. He and Ginny both gasped very loudly and Harry knew they were doomed. Snape had heard them and his bat eyes looked all around the forest for where the sound came from. Harry and Ginny clasped there hands over their mouths so that Snape wouldn't be able to hear their hard, and afraid breaths.  
  
"He's an Annimagus!" Ginny gasped.  
  
"No." Said Harry grasping her hand. "He's a vampire."  
  
Ginny's eyes grew wide at the thought of her own Potions teacher being an ugly, black, blood sucking, fang-containing, bat. Then Harry remembered his first year. Quirrel had been extremely afraid of Snape, he had worn garlic around his neck several times. It was because he KNEW that Snape was a vampire. It all tied together.  
  
"Let's keep looking for-" The loud screeching noise sounded once again right next to them and they knew it was the Thestral that was making that noise.  
  
"Snape shouldn't be allowed to just kill things like that because he's hungry." Ginny said cautiously.  
  
"He probably isn't." Harry said sorrowfully. "Well at least he chose a Thestral, out of all things. Now, come on let's keep looking for Ron and Hermione." 


	11. Rescuing and Reviving but not yet Return...

Rescuing and Reviving but not yet Returning  
  
"Harry? Why aren't we telling a teacher? I mean, there's more of a chance they could rescue Ron and Hermione then us doing it." Ginny asked him hopefully.  
  
"No, Ginny! They're our best friends and there's not enough time to run all the way back to the professors. What do you plan on telling them, anyway? 'Oh hello, Dumbledore. Ginny and I were just taking a stroll through the dark forest and we came across a few dementors. They decided to take Ron and Hermione. Will you save them, please?" Harry's mock-tone made Ginny give a slight giggle and mutter,  
  
"I guess your right."  
  
Harry and Ginny wandered deep into the forest searching, but not finding. Harry's cloak began to get hot and sweaty even in the crisp cool air from his nervousness and his tight grip around Ginny. Harry began to wonder if they were hurting Ron and Hermione. But he realized, if they were going to hurt them, wouldn't they have done it right in the castle? But, if they didn't want to hurt them, why did they take him? Suddenly a pang of guilt swam through Harry's stomach making his fists tighten. They took Hermione and Ron because Voldermort told them they were my best friends. Voldermort figured it out. They're going to torture them until the give up information about me. I can't let this happen, Harry thought.  
  
"Ginny. I know what's happening to Ron and Hermione." Harry said suddenly.  
  
"But Harry... How -" there was a loud rustle in the bushes next to them on the left. Harry was very grateful that they had the invisibility cloak at that moment. He places one finger on Ginny's mouth to signal silence and then tightened his hold her as though attempting to hide his own fear by protecting her.  
  
"Don't panic," Harry whispered so softly it was barely a mist floating through her ears.  
  
Then at that moment a dementor appeared and Harry knew dementors could see through invisibility cloaks. There was no use in keeping it on. Harry ripped it off of Ginny and himself, grasped her hand and sprinted towards the cave that lie ahead of them behind the dementor. They ran as fast as they could not looking behind them; there only mission being to find Hermione and Ron and get them out.  
  
Their hands stayed clasped together and Harry's scar began to burn. He tried to ignore and sprinted through the cave towards where his senses told him lay his two best friends.  
  
"RON! HERMIONE!" Harry yelled towards two pale figures tied to a log and there wands were pinned to a wall on an opposite end. Ginny gasped at the sight of them. They were awake but they looked as though they were horror-struck. The only sign of life that showed was there fingers tangled in each others as if saying, "Don't let go. Don't give up hope."  
Harry looked at Ginny for a sign and she gave him a look of, "I'll be okay," so Harry let go of her hand for a split second to reach for Hermione and Ron's wands when two dementors strode from the shadows. Ginny started panting. Harry quickly reached for her and pulled her in front of him and he drew his wand.  
  
Which spell first? He thought. The patronous? Or Alohamora to open these locks binding their wands? He went with his instincts and drew Hermione and Ron's wands, carefully tucked them in his cloak as a dementor reached for him.  
  
"Expecto Patronum! Expecto patronum! Expecto Patronum!" Harry yelled at the dementors. Nothing but wisps of vapor drew from his wand as the dementor drew nearer.  
  
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry heard his mother's voice screaming inside for Voldermort's mercy. No, imagine something exciting. He imagined Ginny and his kiss in Snape's office. And then pictured the first day Ron and Hermione met him on that day so many years ago...  
  
"EXPECTO PATRONUM EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry yelled with all his strength. Finally, but brilliantly, a stag slipped from Harry's wand and chased the two dementors away.  
  
"Ginny! Wake up! It's okay they're gone!" Ginny looked at Harry in horror and greatfullness. He handed her a piece of the chocolate bar he had slipped into his robes before he left.  
  
"Harry I can't stand this!" She breathed slipping the chocolate into her mouth. But Harry could see the warmth flowing back through her.  
  
"It'll be okay. But hurry! There will be more where they came from." Harry untied the ropes binding Ron and Hermione and handed them each a piece of chocolate. Harry cupped Hermione's cheek hoping his warmth would wake her while letting Ginny handle her brother. Harry let his fingers coast down Hermione's cheek and stroking her neck, praying softly to himself that they didn't destroy them. He felt tears sliding down his cheek. And thought to himself: they did perform the kiss. Didn't they.  
  
Harry put his forehead against hers and let his tears fall. It didn't matter anymore. But suddenly Hermione's eyes filled with light and life as though she was being reborn and Harry heard Ginny gasp which meant Ron was probably doing the same.  
  
"Your untied Hermione you can move." Harry whispered to her gently. Hermione collapsed in Harry's arms out of pure lack of strength and Harry held her and slipped the chocolate in her mouth. He handed Ginny a piece so she could do the same to Ron. They both watched as Hermione and Ron were revived. Ron let out a moan but Hermione managed to whisper weakly, "Harry. I knew you would come." Harry brushed her bangs out of her face and lay her down on the ground in a corner where hopefully the dementors wouldn't see them. He then motioned for Ginny to do the same for Ron.  
  
After more glances at each other of thanks, Harry and Ginny handed Hermione and Ron their wands and drew there own. This battle wasn't over yet. 


	12. Defeating Dementors

"You three should stay out of this and let me handle them." Harry said, not out of arrogance but out of worry for the three people he cared about the most.  
  
"Harry we're strong enough to help," Ron muttered standing up but then collapsing again.  
  
"No. I'm doing it on my own. You guys are far to weak at this moment." His hand was gripping Ron's shoulder as if to encourage him that he could handle it. Ron and Hermione finally both encouraged Harry to leave them to fight the dementors. Harry, with one squeeze of each of his best friends hands, stood up, left the dark corner, turned right to the stone entryway, and there they were. They glided towards Harry and he backed away, not yet wanting to perform the patronous.  
  
"You aren't supposed to be like this!" Harry called to them bravely. "Why have you turned to Voldermort!? I Know you can speak!"  
  
The dementors stopped moving. One in the front gestured for the others to stop and then, he whispered: "We know what you have."  
  
Harry didn't move. He felt himself getting weaker and he heard his mother's cries but he would overcome it. "I have nothing!" Harry yelled truthfully. "What is it you want?"  
  
"We want you. We want your power. We want your strength," they whispered and Harry felt fear beginning to slowly overcome him. But he wouldn't allow it. 'If I have power, I can drive these monsters away,' he thought to himself. They began to glide towards him once again sensing Harry's fear and uneasiness. He backed into the wide stone stool Ron and Hermione had been tied on. Harry fumbled for his wand and pointed it directly at the dementors who were now less then five meters away.  
  
"Expecto—Expecto..." Harry heard his mothers yells clearly now. She begged Voldermort for forgiveness and she spoke his name causing Harry's heart to surge with agony. "Not Harry! My son! Please don't take Harry!" Then, with all the strength he could muster, Harry let out a cry which even startled the dementors. He pointed his wand fiercely towards the dementors and screamed:  
  
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!!!" and finally, a beautiful white, silvery stag leaped out of his wand to his rescue and chased the dementors to nothing. They left into the night, the stag destroying their pleasure of feeding of Harry's happiness and replacing their strength with weakness.  
  
Harry rushed to Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, whose arms were rapped around the both of them. Hermione smiled at Harry weakly as she gripped Ron's hand. Ron muttered in a faint voice, although his eyes were much alive, "Well done, mate." Ginny, seeing that Hermione was taking care of Ron, stood up and met Harry's eyes. Harry slightly squinted and gave her a striking smile. She put her hand to his neck and kissed his cheek and he blushed a little, as he was in front of Ron... But Ron, helping Hermione stand, said, "You two.." pointing at the both of them. "You're perfect." Ginny and Harry grinned at each other and Hermione said. "All of you, we must head to the castle and get out of here. The dementors may return and also... we mustn't be seen by anyone. We should go to speak to Dumbledore tomarrow."  
  
"Hermione, Ron, what did they..." Harry hesitated. "What did they do to you?"  
  
"We'll tell you later. But as soon as we get to the castle, we should go to bed and speak to Dumbledore first thing in the morning."  
  
"Guys, hate to break it to you... but there's no way we'll all fit under the invisibility cloke."  
  
"We'll manage," Ginny said contently.  
  
The three of them left the cave, found Harry's invisibility cloak which had been sprung over a nearby bush, and headed for the castle. It was difficult for all of them to be crammed underneath it, however, as Ginny had said, they managed. Harry and Ron stood in the back. Hermione and Ginny both stood in front; Ginny in front of Ron, and Hermione in front of Harry. Both girls managed to hold the cloak securely around them the entire way back to the Gryffindor commonroom. And they all collapsed on the soft red and gold couch next to a warm fire.  
  
Harry glanced at his wristwatch. 12:51 P.M. No wonder the commonroom was completely empty. He turned to the other three. Hermione had fallen asleep on Ron's shoulder and Ron was snoring loudly into her hair. He turned to Ginny and she looked at him.  
  
"Harry, thank you." She whispered. She came closer to him and him to her. He turned his head to the side and rapped his hand gently around her neck making her shiver. He leaned in and kissed her once softly and looked into her eyes for permission. She answered his question by pulling him in and kissing him passionately. His arms rapped around her and she tangled her hands in his messy black hair. Finally they fell asleep in a similar position as Hermione and Ron. Harry hadn't slept so sound the entire year. 


	13. Explaining the Experience

The four friends awoke the next morning startled. Ron had ended up finding Hermione as a comfortable pillow, which caused Hermione to have fallen asleep on Harry's lap. And Ginny was asleep on Harry shoulder, which caused him to fall asleep on Hermione's side. Harry awoke first to find Ginny's soft red locks falling down her face and onto his shoulder. Harry moved them away gently and stroked her cheek as he sat up from Hermione. Ginny was so beautiful. Harry couldn't believe how much she had grown up since he first met her on Platform nine and three quarters his first year at Hogwarts. Back then, she was only a little girl with a little crush. Now he understood that it was possible to fall in love. Even if it was with his best friend's sister.  
  
Harry, not wanting to wake anyone, held Ginny's head while he slowly stood up. He then rested her head back down gently where he had been sitting. He looked at his watch. 8:45 A.M. Harry began to panic. Classes started 45 minutes ago! He was debating whether to wake them or not when he suddenly realized that it was Saturday. Harry let out a sigh of relief and started to walk up the boy's dormitory when he turned around again slowly. Ron began to kick the air with his right foot as he grunted something about Quidditch. Ginny stirred and rolled over. Her gray uniform skirt had been wrinkled during the night but she still looked incredibly elegant. Harry couldn't help himself but to walk back down to her to get a closer look at his sleeping love. He moved the hair falling across her face aside and touched her neck lightly and ran his fingers down her shoulder. He kissed her beautiful lips ever so lightly and then continued his trip up to the boy's dormitory.  
  
Harry carelessly removed his dress robes and tie and replaced them with a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and a dark gray sweatshirt Mrs. Weasley had given him and he flopped down on his bed. He had a lot of homework to do this weekend and that was the last thing he wanted. He opened his dresser drawer to get a pair of socks but instead found the old photo album Hagrid had given him of his parents. He picked it up and strolled over to his bed and sat down and opened it to the first page. His parents were holding him and waving at him through the photo. He turned the page and there was Sirius. 'I miss him.' Thought Harry. 'He's my godfather. If my parents are gone, he should at least be with me.' Standing next to James who was linked arms with Lily grinning. 'She's so beautiful,' Harry thought. 'And the only thing I've ever heard her voice say is screaming my name.' A tear slid down his cheek and he slammed the book shut. He was breathing hard and he was about to leave the room when he heard someone coming up the stairs. It was Ron.  
  
"You all right mate?" Ron asked sleepily.  
  
"Yeah I'm fine. I just, I – I woke up before you." Harry stuttered.  
  
"Yeah I noticed." Ron stretched and yawned. "The girls are still asleep."  
  
"Are they?" Harry said, not really paying attention. His mind was still on other things.  
  
"Yeah. You want to head down and get some breakfast? I'm sure the girls won't wake up until we get back. We can bring them some food back. Then we'll have to have a talk with Dumbledore."  
  
"Um... all right sure. That sounds great. But first you'll have to tell ME what happened."  
  
Ron hesitated and then said, "Okay, once we get down to breakfast."  
  
The two friends headed down to the Great Hall where only about twenty students per house were still seated and eating. In Gryffindor, Fred and George were two of them, both of which were seated across from each other having a heated discussion about something. Harry assumed it was probably about some big prank they were planning to pull. Harry and Ron had a seat a few seats down from Fred and George not saying hello to them but instead got into their own discussion.  
  
"So," Harry said grabbing a blueberry muffin. "What happened last night before Ginny and I got there?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well, okay." Ron began grabbing a muffin and pouring Harry and himself some orange juice. "Hermione and I were heading down the second floor corridor to meet you. We were running, say, two minutes late because er, you know we got.. er—side-tracked." Ron said looking everywhere except at Harry.  
  
"We started walking down the last staircase onto the first floor corridor heading towards the exit when we saw about ten dementors coming towards us. We got totally scared because we knew there was no way Dumbledore would allow them in the castle since what happened in third year. That's when we knew Voldermort had something to do with it and that they couldn't possibly be on our side.  
  
"Then it was the first time I had ever heard them speak. It was strange. They muttered to us, 'Harry Potter.'" Ron looked at Harry hesitantly seeing that Harry was now looking down guiltily. Why was everything his fault? Why did every terrible thing that happened have to do with him?  
  
"Hey mate don't worry about it we're safe now aren't we?"  
  
"Yes but what if I hadn't come after you? What if I had just assumed you and Hermione had forgotten? You would probably be... probably be... dead." Harry slammed his fork down in frustration.  
  
"Well you did come after us didn't you? You knew and that's why everyone's yet to defeat you. You know what's right. We knew you'd come Harry." Ron's words comforted him but he was still upset.  
  
"But I didn't just know." Harry said. He explained how he had heard Ginny and rescued her from the dementor first. "That's why Ginny was with me." Harry explained. "So what did the dementors do to you?"  
  
"Well, they saw how me and Hermione hesitated to answer to their comment. So they knew we must know you. So they picked us up and hauled us off. We could hardly hear or see anything. I totally passed out right away. Being in their arms was too painful to stay sane. I think Hermione was stronger then me though. She fought them for a while. Trying your Patronous spell you taught us last year at our D.A. meetings. But she couldn't handle it either. We got there and we felt them tying us up but they never had time to question us at all because you came." Ron finished his story contently as if to say he was completely impressed with Harry showing up.  
  
"Oh." Harry muttered. "That's bad. This is bad. Voldermort has found some powerful allies and has even found a way into the castle. We need to speak to Dumbledore soon. Oh and Ron there's something I have to tell you." Harry was referring to his discovery of Snape being a vampire.  
  
"All right but let it wait. We shouldn't waste another moment before we go to meet Dumbledore." Explained Ron. The two boys grabbed a few more muffins and a whole jug of orange juice and headed back up to the commonroom.  
  
"Password?" The Fat Lady said to Ron and Harry.  
  
"Thumbleweed Gabot." Harry said clearly to her and the door swung open. Both Ginny and Hermione were still sleeping soundly. Ron strode over to Hermione and called to Harry who was still in the doorway, "We should wake 'em up now shouldn't we?"  
  
"Yeah I guess so." Harry said. He loved watching Ginny sleep. She was so peaceful. Ron picked up the jug of cold water that's always left by the windowsill and held it up over Hermione and his sister. He looked over at Harry grinning and Harry grinned back. Ron spilled the water over his sleeping sweetheart and when he heard her gasp he spilled the rest over Ginny who had the same reaction. Hermione stood up with a look of absolout disgust on her face and Ginny just squinted and grabbed a pillow and buried her face in it.  
  
"I can NOT believe you Ronald!" Hermione said to him standing up and pointing her wand at him. Harry and Ron were laughing hysterically.  
  
"Oh come on Hermione it's just a bit of fun." Ron said laughing. "Lighten up. You needed to wake up anyway. We brought you food." Ron said hopefully holding up the orange juice and muffins.  
  
"Did it ever occur to you that if you want to wake someone, all you have to do is tap them on the shoulder?" Hermione said putting her wand away and wringing out her drenched hair.  
"Yeah but that's no fun." Ron said still giggling. "You look beautiful when your soaking wet." Hermione smirked at him, grabbed the food, and strode back over to the couch to sit with Ginny. Ginny had moved the pillow away and began brushing her hair to get the wet tangles out. Harry walked over to her.  
  
"Sorry about that Gin," Harry said softly to her.  
  
"Oh it's all right I guess." Taking a bite of her muffin and handing her brush to Hermione who accepted it gratefully. "You weren't actually the one who did it, anyway." She said angrily glaring at Ron.  
  
"Hey! Harry didn't try to stop me!" Ron said defensively. The girls both rolled their eyes.  
  
"So when do we plan on going to speak to Dumbledore?" Hermione asked Harry.  
  
"Er- Ron and I were thinking as soon as you two were done eating and getting ready."  
  
"Sounds good." Said Ginny. After she and Hermione had finished eating the breakfast Harry and Ron had brought them, and after they finished getting dressed and drying their hair, the four friends left the commonroom and headed for Dumbledore's office at ten o'clock sharp. No wasting time. 


	14. Discussion with Dumbledore

It was a beautiful day outside and no one would have ever guessed the terrible occurrences of the night before. Harry desperately wanted to explain to Hermione and Ron about their potions teacher – the vampire. Harry still could hardly believe what he saw. He planned on telling them after their meeting with Dumbledore. He didn't want Hermione to go mental and to begin hyperventilating in front of the headmaster.  
  
After the four friends finally reached the headmasters room, they all began yelling out different names of candies from Honeydukes in attempt to open the staircase up to Dumbledore's office. In the end, Harry was the one to guess the correct word, which turned out to be: "fizzing whizbee." They rushed up the stairs to find Dumbledore in his purple and gold dress robes, stroking his phoenix, Fawkes, and writing what appeared to be a letter with a huge hippogriff feather. Harry recognized it as one of Buckbeak's, because of it's orangy pink hue. 'Sirius must have sent it to him,' Harry thought, a terrible pain searing his heart. They all stood there in front of his desk breathing hard without speaking and without looking up from his letter Dumbledore spoke.  
  
"What seems to be the problem you three? Oh my goodness! I meant four... Ginny Weasley! I don't normally see you spending time with this trio," Dumbledore chuckled and smiled at her as he rested his quill down slowly and looked up at the four students with a friendly smile on his face. Ginny blushed with embarrassment, obviously worrying that she looked out of place. Harry gently touched her hand in order to suggest that her being with him and his friends only made it better. Even though it was behind his desk, Dumbledore seemed to notice and he raised his eyebrows at the two of them.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore," Harry began. "We've come up here to explain to you something that happened to the four of us yesterday." Dumbledore looked at them shifting in his seat as he scooted forward to listen more closely.  
  
"Go on," he said motioning with his hands.  
  
"All right. We er- I mean, Hermione, Ron and I were going to meet down by back entrance to go searching the forest for a loud screeching sound we'd been hearing recently." Harry paused. He was waiting for some sort of response from Dumbledore, and expecting to be scolded in some form or fashion, but Dumbledore just watched Harry not changing from his interested expression in his seat. After Harry got the idea that the dark forest comment didn't bother him at all, he continued on with his story. "I was down there for a long time waiting for them but the didn't come..." then Harry broke off into the entire story. He told Dumbledore about Ginny being there, about how Hermione and Ron were taken, and how he rescued them. When he reached the part about Snape sucking the blood of a thestral, everyone in the room gasped except for Dumbledore and Ginny, whom didn't find the news alarming at all. Harry hadn't planned to reveal this today but at the moment it seemed the only right thing to do. At this point Dumbledore stood up and motioned for the four students to sit down in front of the desk in four cushy purple chairs, which he had just conjured.  
  
"All right, first things first," he began, looking serious for the first time the entire day. "I'm going to owl a few people. It'll only take a moment, then I'll have to do a little explaining, shan't I?" Dumbledore then put away the letter he was previously working on and got out some new parchment and began writing very quickly. Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione. Hermione was giving a sort of motion to herself and breathing in and out as if telling herself not to scream. On the other hand, Ron had an odd expression of panic on his face and he was giving Harry a very angry look. This didn't make Harry feel too happy. Ginny had a comforting hand on Ron's back, but it didn't seem to be helping.  
  
After a few moments, Dumbledore finally completed his letters, sealed them, and had two different owls send them off. Then he stood back up in front of his desks and looked at his confused students.  
  
"Okay. Now, I believe you all seem to be waiting for an explanation about Professor Snape." Dumbledore spoke, finally.  
  
"Yeah...." Said Ron. "I'd like to know about that..." Ron squeaked.  
  
"Well, not to worry, Ron. Professor Snape isn't dangerous at all. He is a vampire yes, and I know you're sorry to hear that. However, you might very well be greatful to have a vampire at your school considering the fact that it keeps deatheaters away, at least to a point."  
  
"But, professor," Hermione stated, finally speaking again. "Isn't Professor Snape acquainted to several Deatheaters, such as Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Yes my dear girl, however, if you didn't observe it on your own, Mr. Malfoy only speaks to Professor Snape kindly because he knows that he and Snape are on different sides of this war, you see. Malfoy doesn't want to be killed by Snape so he wants to get on his good side. But don't you worry. Professor Snape has a potion to keep himself from getting tempted by human blood. The sounds you are hearing are the cries of thestrals which professor Snape has been feeding off of for the entire year. Before he bought blood from certain shops. But that blood isn't as good apparently..." Dumbledore shook his head in confusion. "Anyway," he continued, "I hope none of you four are worried anymore. Know that Snape is rather a protector then a threat." He looked at the four students and Harry could tell he was rather satisfied with the results of their reactions. Hermione was now nodding in agreement to what Dumbledore was saying. Ron wasn't glaring at Harry anymore and neither was he twitching in his seat. Ginny was grinning slightly and rather astonished that her Professor Snape could turn into a bat. Harry too, was relieved that Professor Snape wasn't threatening, at least according to Dumbledore. However, Harry did have his doubts.  
  
At that very moment, Lupin appeared, quite dusty but well braced, inside of Dumbledore's fireplace. He strode out with a piece of parchment in his hand.  
  
"I got your owl up in my room, sir, you said it was urgent," Lupin said quickly striding towards him. He noticed the four friends and nodded towards them with a slight smile on his face, but it was obvious he was trying to deal with the matter at hand.  
  
"Yes, Remus, I want you to contact the Order of the Phoenix and inform them of the occurrences I explained to you in my letter. See how they believe it would be best handled and then report back as soon as possible. I can give you up to three days to miss class for, no more though, unless it is absolutely necessary."  
  
"Yes sir, I will leave immediately," With that, Lupin was back in the fireplace and gone.  
  
"Now," Dumbledore said, focusing once again on Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. "First of all, you three must NOT, on ANY circumstances, breathe a word to ANYone about Professor Snape? Am I well understood? If the wrong ears find out, it could be a serious problem. All right? Now, more importantly, this business with the dementors, I don't really know what to think, except that, since they are on Voldermort's side..." (Everyone flinched at the sound of the name except Harry) "...Then we can't expect any better of them can we? Now I am so very glad that you four are all right. Fifty points will be awarded to Gryffindor, ten to each of you for being brave and twenty to Harry for saving everyones lives. Now I have informed Professor Lupin and Minister Fudge..." At the moment, Cornelius Fudge came tumbling out of the fireplace and onto Professor Dumbledore's marble, rugged floor. He quickly stood up and dusted himself off trying to hide that he was embarrassed of his, not-so-smooth landing.  
  
"Terrible Floo powder I have... yes... erm... Dumbledore, I received your owl about the- erm- business in the Forbidden forest," he nodded to the four students in the seats. "Congratulations, you four, for surviving, I would have never guessed..."  
  
"Yes, Minister, I wanted to request that you inform the Ministry of this occurrence and send several Aurors into the forest to investigate and perhaps drive them away or even better speak to them about it."  
  
"Yes, Albus, that won't be a problem. Well I'll be off then. Good day to you." With that, Fudge was gone as quickly as he had come. Harry was rather surprised that Dumbledore was letting the four of them sit in on all of this.  
  
"Now, I suggest that the four of you move along and if anything else happens that I should know about, the password will be fizzing whizbee for next week. Now try to get on with your weekend without expecting the worst. I, and the help of several others, are handling this. Try not to worry. Now good day!" Dumbledore motioned for them to leave. Confused, the four friends stood up and left. Harry realized once he got out that he had barely gotten a word in the whole time.  
  
"You guys, I—I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Snape sooner. I just wanted to wait, I guess," Harry said in an honest apology.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry too," said Ginny.  
  
"I forgive you, Harry. But try to remember that Ron and I are your best friends. You seem to be forgetting that recently," Hermione said as they all walked briskly down the second floor corridor.  
  
"Yeah, I couldn't believe you hadn't told us," said Ron. "I mean, why?"  
  
"Well we fell asleep so fast, and, I don't know, I mean it's only been one day. It's not like I waited for years," Harry argued gently.  
  
"That's true. I think it would be better if we just forgot about it," said Hermione.  
  
"I just can't believe that Snape is a vampire," Ginny gasped.  
  
"And to think," Ron squeaked, "Snape could fly into our dormitories whenever he liked when we're asleep and poke our eyes out with his bat teeth and then fly out the window into the night, and..." Hermione cut him off.  
  
"Oh Ronald, honestly, do you actually think that Professor Snape wants to watch you sleep?"  
  
After a long walk back to the commonroom with Hermione and Ron bickering and Ginny and Harry laughing, they finally reached it and plopped down onto the couch.  
  
"Ginny, you want to go for a walk?" Harry asked, hoping she would want to. He felt his heart beginning to beat faster and he prayed silently that Ron and Hermione wouldn't give him too hard of a time about it. Ginny smiled.  
  
"Oh, Harry that would be wonderful!" Ginny said. Harry's heart leapt.  
  
"Great." Harry saw Hermione and Ron glance at each other but it didn't bother him. He knew that they were his best friends once again, and he was very glad Ginny had accepted his invitation. With that on his mind, Harry and Ginny left the commonroom and headed for the lake.  
  
A/N: Hey. I hope you liked it!! Okay everyone needs to know that this story is up again because I don't think very many people can find it... since it took me so long to update again... so if any of you know people who have read this story, let them know its being updated again. I've already added three chapters that are new so try to review or else then I'll worry you don't like it... but thanks to Nicole for the review that helped me to write another chapter! 


	15. Love by the Lake

A/N: This is a bit of a lighter chapter compared to the others. I hope you like it.   
  
Harry and Ginny had made it down to the lake without speaking to each other at all and Harry began to worry that their walk would turn out to be a bit of an awkward silence if he didn't do something fast.  
  
"Um- do you- do you want to sit down-er- here?" Harry gestured towards a soft grassy spot on the edge of the lake. Ginny smiled.  
  
"Sure," she sat down and Harry sat down beside her.  
  
"Ginny, erm, I'm glad you came with me. I wanted to apologize for kissing you because I know it bothered you." Harry took a deep breath. That was really hard to say.  
  
"Oh no, Harry, you don't understand," Ginny said, turning to him. Harry looked at her confused. "It's not that it bothered me, it's just..." she paused. "I was afraid that it wasn't real. Or that you were pretending, or something."  
  
"What? Why would I pretend?" Harry said tensing up.  
  
"Well, I don't know. I guess since I've... liked you for five years and then all of a sudden you like me too... it just seems, surreal." Ginny turned to him and met his sharp green eyes to hers. She touched his face.  
  
"But I really do like you Ginny. It isn't a lie," Harry said, a sound of compassion in his voice.  
  
"I know. I didn't mean to hurt you, Harry." Harry didn't know what to think as Ginny drew closer. Was she really going to kiss him again? Yes she was. Her lips met his in a soft tender kiss that Harry would treasure forever. She kissed him again only this time more passionately. Harry closed his eyes and kissed her back. This couldn't be happening. Good things never happen to him... this couldn't be real... but it was. Ginny wrapped her arms around him and kissed him again and again. Harry was nervous but he decided to put his hand on her cheek. It was just getting wonderful when...  
  
"Oy! You two! Blimey... I never would have suspected it. How 'bout you George?" Fred and George Weasley were walking down the hill beside Harry and Ginny and Fred sat right in between them. George sat on the other side of Harry.  
  
"No, not I dear brother. My oh my, if it isn't our little Ginny. Goodness she is growing up so fast isn't she Fred?"  
  
"Yes, it seems like just yesterday she was sending love letters to Harry and praying he would do just this some day..." Fred put the back of his hand up to his forehead to imitate Ginny's drama. George laughed and Ginny was turning redder by the second. Harry was fidgeting with his hands nervously and George put an arm around him.  
  
"That's right, Fred. Now don't you worry, Harry. Anything you need to know about... erm... that, feel free to ask us. And anything you need to know about our little Ginny here..." George reached over and pinched Ginny's reddening cheek and she slapped it away, "...we'll let you know. For starters, she wet the bed until she was seven..."  
  
"would you two shut up?" Ginny yelled. George and Fred raised their arms up in a sort of mock surrender.  
  
"Hey, it's a perfectly normal thing for a brother to do when he sees he baby sister snogging a school celebrity in a public place, tsk, tsk, tsk," Fred waved a scolding finger at Ginny and winked at Harry.  
  
"Yeah, who are you to blame? We were just minding our own business over there with Lee and some joke shop testers, when we hear you two making all these noises and things... you don't actually expect us to ignore you do you? Now don't you two get too rowdy..." at that the twins left and Ginny and Harry were left to occupy each others presence in pure humiliation.  
  
"Erm..." Harry said finally, after nearly five minutes. Ginny looked up quickly, almost as though she hadn't expected Harry to speak so soon. "Maybe we ought to, head back to the commonroom." Harry was now nearly a foot away from Ginny and fidgeting like mad; he had suddenly taken a strong interest in his thumbnails. Ginny nodded.  
  
"Yeah, guess so."  
  
That was the last Harry had heard of her that night. He went to bed early because he had nothing better to do. When Ron finally came up he went straight up to Harry's ear and whispered something.  
  
"Harry? How far did you get? You didn't... erm..." Harry sat up quickly before Ron could finish his sentence, almost knocking him over.  
  
"NO of course not! Who do you think I am?"  
  
"Sorry... I was just wondering." Ron got into bed next to Harry and began snoring before Harry could say another word. Harry fell asleep a few moments after that and dreamed of Ginny. 


	16. Late night Liberation

A/N: I'm SOOOO Sorry about Fred and George! I completely forgot that they weren't at school. I talked to my sister before I wrote it even to make sure they were still there and she said that they were only a year older then Ron and Harry so I shouldn't have listened ( please forgive me. They won't be at school again so hopefully you can all just forget about that chapter.... That would be nice. Thanks for all the reviews and helpful criticism. Hopefully this chapter will reveal more about the dementors and stuff. If anyone wants to email me personally with anymore advice, my email is frostdancer936hotmail.com. Thanks again everyone. And once again, sorry about fred and george!   
  
That night, Harry had the most peculiar dream.  
  
Harry was walking through the dark forest carelessly. Dementors tried to come up to him but something was driving them back. Harry didn't know what it was and he didn't care but he just kept going deeper and deeper into the forest. Suddenly, he came to a graveyard and that brought him out of his trance a bit. He looked around at the tombs. "Cornelius Fudge," one said. Harry was startled. He did not know Cornelius had died. He looked at another. "Albus Dumbledore," it read. Harry started trembling. "no," he breathed. "Dumbledore isn't dead!" he cried. Then he walked to another one, "Sirius Black," it read. Except the tomb stone was lying on its back and cut in half. Lucius had done this. This was what Hagrid had mentioned a couple weeks ago. Suddenly he heard a voice behind him. "Harry Potter. It all ends here." Harry turned around slowly, his heart pounding incredibly fast when suddenly he couldn't see anymore. Everything was dark. "WHO ARE YOU?!" Harry cried out. He heard laughing, the cruelest laugh he'd ever heard drawing closer... and closer... and closer...  
  
Harry sat up in bed abruptly. His wand was in his hand and he was pointing it around the room as though one of his roommates was going to attack him. His eyes were open and he looked fully awake and ready. Suddenly he realized what he was doing and he put his wand away and looked around the room confused. He was so sure that he had seen a graveyard in the Dark Forest.  
  
Harry felt extremely thirsty. He got out of bed and poured himself a glass of water and sighed as he looked at the clock. 2:30 A.M. He decided he should probably get up and finish his Transfiguration assignment of transforming his eyes to blue from green. It just wouldn't work. Every time he tried they'd be hazel for a moment and then go back to green. Harry stood up and walked to the open window beside his bed and sighed. The night air felt wonderful and felt crisp and cool against his sweating face. Harry decided he couldn't stay in the boys dormitory any longer. He stood up and changed into some jeans and the same dark grey sweatshirt he'd worn two days ago into the dark forest and grabbed his broom. Before he left he put his hand in his sweatshirt pocket and pulled out the mirror Sirius had given him, which he had fixed at the beginning of the year with Arculous Reparo. He looked at it and then before he could control his anger he through it hard on his dresser. To his relief it didn't break and he picked it up and tucked it safely in his pocket again.  
  
Harry then walked to the window, stood on the ledge with his broom, mounted it without looking down, and took off. He soared downward past the pillars and over the greenhouse and towards the lake near the dark forest. The cool breeze against his face which blue his messy black hair backwards felt wonderful and he almost felt as though he was being relieved of some terrible pressure. The sky was still pitch black and the stars stood out brightly against it. Harry decided to fly down near the lake and stop to sit on one of the huge boulders in it, not far from shore, and watched the night. He heard nothing but crickets and wind. Even the dark forest was silent tonight. Harry thought hard about Ginny, about his dream, about Sirius. Ginny was fantastic. She loved him but his missed Sirius too much. Even Ginny couldn't replace him, nor could she help Harry get over him.  
  
Harry pulled out the round mirror Sirius had given him and looked into at his own eyes. For the first time, he saw his sadness. A tear trickled down his cheek and then he spoke with all the strength and hope he could muster up through his hurt soul. He had to try again.  
  
"Sirius! I BEG you PLEASE! Talk to me! I know you can! I know you will! You have the mirror with you behind that veil. It was in your cloak! Please, Sirius, speak to me! Look at me! Just let me just see you..." Harry stared into the mirror and for a moment he thought he saw Sirius's face when a loud cry was heard in the dark forest. Harry sighed.  
  
"Snape," he whispered to himself. He knew it was just his potions master sucking the blood of a thestral. But then he heard the cry again, and this was no thestral. It was a man.  
  
"AAAHHH!" Harry heard it again, this time standing up on the stone and grabbing his broom. This was a cry out in pain; a cry for help; and Harry was the only one to do it. Harry tucked his mirror back in his sweatshirt pocket and then mounted his broom and took off over the forest. He didn't know what it could possibly be or who would possibly be roaming the forest at this hour but he needed to find out and help whoever it was.  
  
He flew low, just above the treetops searching for the sound or for any sign of human life. After no cry was heard again he decided to fly a little bit lower, weaving through the trees about twenty feet above the ground. When he was just reaching the other end, he heard it again, a ways behind him. Harry jerked the broom around and zoomed backwards going even lower flying around the trees with great skill when finally he saw it. A man was lying face down on the ground and another man was pointing a wand at his neck. Harry flew very slowly and quietly down to the scene until he was behind a tree and peeking around only a few feet behind them.  
  
"I've told you time and time again Severus, it is a mistake to fight back when you're fighting against me," the standing one said. 'Severus?!' Harry thought to himself. Suddenly Harry saw a jet of blue light hit Snape in the back and Harry decided that he'd had enough. He flew up behind the attacker and pointed a wand at his neck. The man turned and met Harry's eyes with his bright blue ones in a look of hate and disgust. Harry couldn't believe his eyes.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy? You..."  
  
"Yes Mr. Potter. So are you here to save your dear potions master?"  
  
"Yes. Now drop your wand," Harry said confidently through clenched teeth. Harry would battle Mr. Malfoy until death if he had to but he would not let the teacher who he most despised die because of a deatheater. 


	17. Forbidden Forest Fight

A/N: Okay everyone, I'm making this chapter really long since I'm not going to be able to update for 2 ½ weeks!! This Saturday I'm going to England. I'm soo sorry but don't forget about me okay. Cause I'll update again when I get home. I hope you like it!  
  
Lucius Malfoy slowly set down his wand but he didn't stop smirking at Harry. Harry's heart was beating faster and faster until he was worried Mr. Malfoy might hear. Harry kept his wand steadily pointed at him while Lucius dropped Snape and stood up.  
  
"You going to Kill me Harry?" Lucius said laughing cruelly. Harry thought about this. He couldn't kill Draco's father even if he was a deatheater. But Harry didn't understand why Snape was in the picture.  
  
"Why are you hurting Snape? What's he ever done to you?" Harry said through clenched teeth glaring at Lucius as his wand scraped the side of Lucius's neck. He heard Snape moaning which came as a relief to Harry to know that at least he was still alive. Lucius laughed again, harder then before.  
  
"Well," Mr. Malfoy said. "Let me see... he betrayed Lord Voldermort and the rest of the deatheaters. Now as bad enough as that may be... he HAS something of ours and has chosen not to return it." Malfoy turned and gave Snape an evil glare. Harry's heart began to beat faster. Even though he was in control of this situation he felt like something was sneaking up on him. Also, what was this thing Professor Snape had?  
  
"Tell me what it is," Harry said firmly. Malfoy laughed again.  
  
"In your dreams perhaps, Harry Potter," Lucius said sniggering. Harry pushed Malfoy against a tree with his wand and Malfoy stopped laughing that instand. Suddenly Harry realized that something wasn't right here.  
  
"Why aren't you in Azkaban?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well, I escaped of course," Malfoy said in a deep eerie voice that made Harry shiver. His eyebrows raised in confusion and Malfoy sniggered. "No, no, no, boy. If you're thinking I escaped the way your lover Sirius Black did then you're quite wrong." At that moment Harry felt a strong, strong sense of hatred towards this man and he felt his face boiling in fury.  
  
"ARRRGGHH!!" Harry cried, shoving the wand into Malfoy's neck more causing him to back up against the tree further. "DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF SIRIUS BLACK! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK HIS NAME!" for the first time Harry saw a flicker of fear in Malfoy's eyes but it left as soon as it had come and he simply continued his explanation of escaping in a simple manner as though Harry had never yelled at him.  
  
"Bellatrix rescued me. You know that there are very few dementors left to guard Azkaban. The lot of them have made the correct choice to join Lord Voldermort, so it was very simple for her to learn the Patronous charm and get to me on time. After we left he building we apparated to Lord Voldermort where he told me I had to retrieve our artifact from this traitor," Malfoy then made a motion to kick Snape but Harry gave him a warning look and Malfoy stopped.  
  
"Tell me what it is," Harry said. No reply.  
  
"I repeat," Harry commanded determinedly. "Tell Me What It Is." Mr. Malfoy stood there silently and expressionless when, to Harry's surprise, he's mouth spread out in an evil grin again and he repeated his past words.  
  
"You going to kill me Harry?" Harry glared at him in anger and frustration. Then he made up his mind.  
  
"No," Harry said confidently. "But I am going to do this." Harry stepped hard on Lucius's wand and it crushed in half. Malfoy shouted loudly in and he was about to reach for Harry's wand wrist when Harry muttered a loud incantation and before Lucius Malfoy could breath another word he had passed out on the hard and cold dirt ground. Harry picked up the pieces of Lucius's wand and stuck them in his sweatshirt pocket next to his. He then ran to Snape, who was now passed out and checked his pulse. He still had one to Harry's great relief. Harry lifted both men onto his broom with much difficulty and they flew into the air. The three of them weighed the broom down quite a bit but the strong Firebolt still managed to fly over the forest and to the castle.  
  
Once Harry had reached the castle, he checked his wristwatch. 4:38 A.M. 'There probably isn't a single wake person in this entire castle,' Harry thought to himself. He then looked over at the two men pathetically, both were lying at the top of the staircase he had just dragged them up. He was just learning a weight reduction charm in Charms class but he wasn't sure he could remember it.  
  
"Er— reducio!" Harry yelled waving his wand at both men. Nothing happened. "Wehreducto!" Harry yelled again. Still, nothing happened. "Wriducto!" He yelled. Finally, both men were floating in the air as Harry sighed in relief. He tucked his wand in his sweatshirt, grabbed the two men by their wrists and gave a light tug and they walked up the stairs. On his way Harry saw a cluster of ghosts sitting on a chandelier staring at him strangely. At first Harry couldn't understand why but then he realized how odd it must look to be walking around with two unconscious, floating men beside you. The men seemed to practically be moving by themselves that Harry hardly had to do anything. Harry finally reached Dumbledore's office room and said, "Fizzing Whizbee." The door flung open and Harry walked up the spiral staircase, which rolled upward. When he reached the top he realized that Dumbledore probably doesn't sleep in his office.  
  
"His room must be connected somewhere around here," Harry said softly to himself. Harry searched around the room for a hidden door when he suddenly realized bookshelf across from his desk looked oddly like a door. Harry pushed on it and pulled and finally it swung open. And there, behind that door, was Dumbledore in his huge king size bed sleeping soundly. Harry wasn't exactly sure what to do. He walked over to Dumbledore and tapped on his shoulder.  
  
"Er--- Professor?" Harry pushed him again. "Dumbledore, sir? You... might want to wake up." Dumbledore stirred turned over and mumbled in his sleep something that sounded oddly like "Fizzing Whizbee" when he shot straight up in bed and blinked at Harry.  
  
"Er- professor—I'm sorry to disturb you, but--" Dumbledore cut him off immediately.  
  
"I know, I know, just hand me my glasses," Harry stared at him confused. How could he possibly know? "Just hand me my glasses, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said. Harry retrieved Dumbledore's glasses from his nightstand and handed them to him.  
  
"Sorry sir.. but how could you know?"  
  
"I do. Trust me dear boy, I do," Dumbledore stood up from bed and walked over to Snape and Mr. Malfoy who were outside his bedroom and behind the desk in his office. How did he know where they were? "Harry, I thank you. You may give me the pieces to Mr. Malfoy's wand and I award you one hundred points to Gryffindor for catching Mr. Malfoy at precisely the right time," Dumbledore said, quite calmly. "Now, I will talk to you another time but for now, go to bed."  
  
"But, professor," Harry started, "I -- "  
  
"Ah, Ah, Harry, you must go to bed. I will speak to you about this matter later," Dumbledore repeated. With that, Harry grabbed his broom, turned on his heels and exited the office down the spiral staircase, utterly bewildered and dazed at what just happened to him. As Harry walked back to the Gryffindor commonroom Harry thought to himself, 'maybe I do need to sleep.'  
  
A few hours later, Harry awoke from underneath his red and gold bed covers to a cold stormy day. He looked over at Ron's bed. He was just waking up as well. Ron rolled over and stretched one of his arms out and muttered something a cross between talking and breathing as his eyes fluttered open and stared at Harry who was looking out the window that was in between their two beds.  
  
"Harry?" Ron blinked while sitting up in bed. Harry raised his eyebrows at Ron who was barely what you would call awake. "What day is it?"  
  
"Sunday," Harry muttered.  
  
"Oh," Ron said. He looked around the room, which was empty besides the two of them and Neville who was snoring a few beds away across the room. Ron spoke again. "What day is it?"  
  
"Sunday," Harry repeated, sighing and shaking his head at Ron who was staring around dazedly. Ron blinked at Harry.  
  
"What time is it?" Ron said, now beginning to actually wake up as he stretched again and glanced out the window at the rain.  
  
"It's..." Harry glanced at his watch. "... half past eight."  
  
"Oh," said Ron, standing up and pulling the curtain aside to look outside. "If it's like this in a few days they'll have to cancel Quidditch," Ron said as a huge bolt of lighting struck one of the goal posts.  
  
"Nah," Harry said. "They never cancel quidditch unless a Slytherin fakes getting injured," Harry said, speaking of his and Ron's third year when Draco had pretended to be seriously hurt by Buckbeak when really he just wanted Hagrid to get fired. "Ron, I've got to tell you something."  
  
"What is it?" Ron said.  
  
"Let's go down to breakfast and I'll tell you and Hermione at the same time."  
  
"Okay," said Ron. The two friends headed down to the Great Hall where many students were feasting noisily. When they spotted Hermione she sat up and pointed to two seats across from her and smiled at them. "Hello, how are you two? Nasty weather today, isn't it?" Hermione said, munching on a piece of toast and flipping through a book, which was sitting on her lap.  
  
"Hermione," Harry said, trying to get her to look up from her book. "I've got to tell you and Ron something," Harry said lowering his voice so that no one could hear him. Hermione finally looked up and watched him, as did Ron. Then Harry broke off into the whole story of the previous nights happenings. After he had finished telling them everything from waking up and four in the morning all the way to exiting Dumbledore's office they were both staring at him in utter shock and amazement. Hermione's first question was, "Dumbledore didn't mind that you were out of bed at four and off wandering by the lake?" And Ron's first question was, "Why didn't you kill him after he asked you to?" Harry was rather frustrated with them.  
  
"You guys! Come on. BE SERIOUS. What do you expect it is that Snape has that Voldermort wants so bad?" Both Hermione and Ron looked from each other to Harry in a look of unknowing and slight disturbance in the sound of the name.  
  
"Perhaps its another Prophecy?" Hermione said hesitantly, for both she, Harry and Ron knew that this was very unlikely.  
  
"Maybe there's some sort of ..." Ron started. Hermione and Harry waited but Ron obviously had forgotten what he was going to say, or perhaps never had any idea.  
  
"What about you, Harry?" said Hermione. "What do you think?" Harry blinked and thought carefully for a logical answer but realized that he too did not have one.  
  
"I have no idea," said Harry.  
  
Days went by and classes became increasingly worried about their potions master. At first when Professor Snape began missing classes, the students were rather pleased as anyone would be since first of all, Snape is rather cruel to all his students except Slytherins and also, their substitute teacher was a handsome, French warlock named Professor Sunreju who's long black hair fell to the tops of his shoulders and his smile made all the girls melt. But after weeks and weeks, students realized that something must be seriously wrong. Rumors began to spread. Some said he was attacked by a werewolf in the Forbidden forest. Others said he tripped and fell into his huge shelf of potions, all of which spilled on him, leaving him with a mixture of blisters, hair growth problems, laughing gas, and a mixture of other problems, some even more serious. Although Harry, Ron and Hermione would have quite desired to explain to all the others about what had happened weeks before, he decided that it would not be the best idea, considering the fact that it involved a deatheater.  
  
When December finally came, the students' first trip to Hogsmeade was coming up since their Halloween trip was canceled due to the storm that forced all the stores to close. Harry quite wanted to ask Ginny to go with him but they had only spoken to each other a few times the past few weeks and he wasn't sure if she'd even want to. They were all in the Great Hall for dinner when Dumbledore announced it.  
  
"Well, finally," said Hermione. "I was beginning to think Hogsmeade was stepped on by a dragon or something." She glanced at Ron and smiled at him. He grinned back in a silly way, which was obviously out of embarrassment and not knowing what to say. Harry was just beginning to get used to this relationship between his two best friends and he finally understand that now that they were in their sixth year it's only natural. Harry saw Hermione clasp Ron's hand.  
  
"We- er- we're going together. Right Hermione?" Ron said slightly nervously.  
  
"Of course," Hermione said back. "Harry you can come too of course." Harry was grateful that she offered just in case Ginny said no. But he'd prefer to go with the girl he liked rather then these two who would probably never be able to stop touching each other anyway.  
  
"Thanks, but I – er – thought I might ask Ginny," Harry said carefully, trying not to pinch any of Ron's nerves.  
  
"That sounds fantastic! Doesn't it Ron?" Hermione said in excitement while grinning at Harry. Ron seemed to twitch a little, but without looking at Harry, he approved.  
  
"Er- yeah that sounds, erm.. cool," Ron said while cracking his neck and pushing a strawberry around in circles on his plate, but this satisfied Harry.  
  
"Great! I'll probably ask her tonight," said Harry grinning widely feeling happier then he had in weeks. This was sure to work out for the best. 


	18. Sickness of Loss

Sickness of Loss  
  
That night, the moment Harry was extremely excited for and at the same time dreaded, came. Harry found Ginny sitting in the library with a notebook, a quill, and a book studying what appeared to Harry as Herbology. He approached her in a slow and cautious manner and hoped that she'd be willing to stop her studying to talk to him for a moment. When Harry finally was only a step away from sitting down next to her, (the point of no return) Harry began to think of all the terrible things that could happen and felt himself getting very nervous.  
  
"Oh hi Harry!" Ginny said, putting down a quill and gesturing for Harry to sit next to her. Harry moved closer and sat down.  
  
"Hey, Ginny." Harry turned to Ginny and smiled. "What's that you've got there, Ginny?" Ginny turned to look at her book as though she'd forgotten.  
  
"Oh, it's herbology. Madame Sprout is having us find every sort of magical bean and how it's powerful. Don't ask..."  
  
"Oh, I- I see," Harry felt himself getting more and more nervous and he began wringing out his hands and playing with his hair. Ginny kept watching him, obviously still very happy about his coming to talk to her, although Harry couldn't understand why. He was being a complete idiot...  
  
"Erm, Ginny," Harry started meeting her eyes for a moment but then turned to focus on her shoulder. "I was wondering if..." Harry paused for a long moment and Ginny just watched him. Come on you can do this. "...if you maybe wanted to... go to Hogsmeade with me." Ginny, almost instantly after Harry finished cried,  
  
"Yes! Of course that would be fantastic," Ginny said smiling wider then Harry had ever seen and nearly bouncing in her seat. Harry grinned back. "Great," Ginny said picking up her book and quill and beaming at him. Before Harry could say anything, Ginny had darted out of the room leaving Harry in the dark and empty library to ponder what just happened. Harry, realizing how late it was, walked out of the library with more energy then he'd had the whole day. Harry had a date for Hogsmeade, he'd saved his least favorite teacher's life, things were going great.  
  
That night, when Harry reached the commonroom he found no one except some seventh year girl sitting at a table doing some homework. Harry walked up to his bedroom only to find Ron sitting up in bed reading a book by candlelight.  
  
"My eyes must be fooling me!" Harry said. "Do I actually see Ron reading a book?" Harry said jokingly. Ron laughed and through a pillow at Harry.  
  
"Yeah I was just looking up some stuff on the Wizarding laws. Did you know that it's against the law to sleep with your head on a wizards chess table on Saturdays?" Harry watched him and knew that there was more to this.  
  
"What were you really looking up Wizarding laws for, Ron?" Harry asked. Ron lowered his eyebrows at Harry.  
  
"No reason, really," Harry stared at him for a moment and Ron spoke. "Okay fine, I was seeing what your typical penalty is for disturbing the dead like Malfoy did to Sirius because I think that three months in Azkaban isn't enough. Especially when they escape right away." Ron watched Harry's response to this comment.  
  
Sirius, Harry thought. Whenever someone said that name Harry couldn't stop thinking about him for quite a long time. Harry sat on his bed quickly to prevent from losing balance since when Harry thought about Sirius that's all his mind could focus on. I'll never speak to him again will I? I'm never going to see him again. He's gone forever isn't he? And nobody misses him except me. Only me. I'm the only one who notices Sirius is gone. I need Sirius.  
  
"Harry are you okay? I'm sorry I mentioned Sirius, I know it's not easy for you to hear and... Harry?" Harry was staring blankly across the room at the candle next to Ron's bed and wasn't blinking. Harry didn't hear Ron and he didn't want to hear Ron. He wanted to hear Sirius. He wanted to talk to Sirius about school, and Malfoy, and Ginny, and... Harry opened the drawer on his nightstand and pulled out Sirius's mirror. Harry saw something inside it. A figure; a person; it suddenly became clearer, he had dark hair, he was a man, He looked at Harry.  
  
"Sirius," Harry breathed. Suddenly the figure faded away. "SIRIUS!!!!" Harry yelled so loud that Seamus, Dean, and Neville all stired awake just in time to see Harry before...  
  
"Harry! What are you..." Harry collapsed sideways on his bed Ron's voice was a blur and Harry couldn't see anything except darkness.  
  
There were sounds. Harry could hear people murmuring around him. He heard Ron for a brief moment but then it went away. Professor McGonagall, yes she was there. What's happened to me? Harry thought. He shook his head back and forth. Suddenly his eyes blew open. He was in the hospital wing and Harry was startled at the odd assortment of people who bustled around him talking: He saw Ron and Hermione, Ginny and Luna, and Dumbledore. Harry tried sitting up but it seemed as though at that moment everyone seemed to notice him and push him down at once.  
  
"Harry, oh he's awake. Are you all right?" Said Hermione leaning over him and studying his face. Harry didn't speak but instead nodded. He'd just remembered what happened but... why did it happen?  
  
"Harry, you gave us all such a fright, what do you feel like?" Ginny cried in his ear.  
  
"What happened last night, mate? None of us could concentrate on school today not knowing." Ron said. Harry looked over at Luna whose head popped out behind the crowd. She stared at him head tilting a little as though she knew exactly what had happened and understood completely. At that moment Madame Pomfrey strode into the room.  
  
"Everyone out! OUT! OUT! You are disturbing my patients with all this commotion. OUT! OUT! Harry's friends all left along with Professor McGonagall, all looking back at him in concern. Dumbledore strode over to Harry.  
  
"Harry, Madame Pompfrey has figured out what it is that has disrupted you," Dumbledore stared at Harry, quite concerned and sad. Harry watched him. Why was this so serious? All he did was pass out from hitting his head when he fell. Right? "However, I am afraid that there is no actual cure except what you can fight within yourself."  
  
"What is it, sir?" Harry asked softly and sleepily.  
  
"Harry you have the Sickness of Loss. Some people get it after they've witnessed a death of a loved one. It's very sad. A few have even died from it, Harry, I must tell you because they've found that they can't overcome a broken heart. But Harry, you've always been brave and I have no doubt that you can't do this." Harry stared at Dumbledore. Was Harry going to die because Sirius died? Harry didn't know what to think. This couldn't actually be the truth, could it?  
  
"I should go," Harry said. He stood up and left the hospital wing. His head was heavy and his heart was aching like it had never ached before. Harry felt worse then he'd ever felt. What was this disease? It wasn't right... Part of Harry wanted to go find his friends but he decided to just go up to bed. He had seen Sirius in the mirror. Hadn't he? 


	19. Dilusions and Defense

Okay here you go Harry Kid. You've been waiting a long time. Hope you all enjoy it!

Hogsmeade was in exactly six days. It was Sunday night and Harry had just walked up to his dormitory after leaving the hospital wing in shock of his newly discovered disease.

_Sirius_, Harry thought. _I need you now. I know you could make this better._ Harrry lay down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling and then over at his nightstand. The mirror sat there halfway on the table and halfway off, taunting him; begging him to come and take another look. _Let it crash _Harry thought. _See if I care._ Harry couldn't let this affect him. He had to move on. Sirius was happy now. He was innocent now. He was safe now. _The only thing trying to hold him back is me. _Harry rolled over in bed and buried his face in the pillow. None of his homework was done. This was ridiculous. After a moment of lying there in the cold, dark, silent room, Harry dozed off. He dreamed that he was walking down Hogsmeade again, hand in hand with Ginny. Only this time Hermione and Ron weren't snogging but they were hand in hand walking in front of them. Suddenly Harry saw a furry black dog in the distance. He screamed "SIRIUS!" and was suddenly shot backwards and lay painfully on his back on the stone dirt ground. Everything was blurry but he hadn't passed out yet. Ginny leaned over him.

"Harry," she muttered. "Harry it's okay. I'm here for you." Harry stared up at her face weakly and for a moment, Harry had thought he saw Sirius leaning over him.

"Harry,'' Sirius said. "I'm here for you. I'm here for you."

"I'm here for you, Harry," Ginny muttered.

"Harry." Ron was shaking Harry hard and suddenly Harry was jerked away. All the boys in their dormitory were bustling around, putting on there uniforms and ties and organizing their books. Harry saw Seamus Finnigan chuck Neville's Herbology book which had some how grown four legs, across the room, missing Harry's head by a few inches, when they realized Harry was awake.

"Harry," Seamus said jumping on his bed, pulling at his own tie as he spoke. "What's going on? How did that happen yesterday? You okay?" Neville walked over to the bed now and sat in the chair by Harry's desk and said, "Yeah I was worried sick about you." Dean then walked over and leaned against his bed post when Ron began making big arm movements and glaring at all the boys.

"Harry's MY best friend and I woke him up first so Harry's going to answer ME first!" Ron said pushing the other boys aside and sitting on the edge of Harry's bed. Harry smiled a little and chuckled in his mind. "So Harry," Ron said. "Are you okay? Tell me how that happened. What's the matter? Did Dumbledore tell you?" Harry sat up and reached for his glasses and put them on. Right before he looked at all the boys staring at him intently.

"I'll tell you later," Harry muttered to Ron so that the others couldn't hear. Then he turned to the rest of them who now put all their focus on Harry right after Seamus gave Neville a hard shove.

"They don't really know what happened," Harry lied to Dean, Seamus and Neville. They all looked rather disappointed.

"Damn, Harry, we were all so worried," Dean said.

"And they have no idea? We all thought you might have gotten a nasty spider bite or something." Seamus said.

"Yeah. Or had not enough water that day."

"Or maybe that potion in Potions class the day before made you a bit nauseous," Ron added.

Finally Neville spoke up. "I thought, that maybe, well," Neville hesitated. "I remember last year when your Godfather died, well there's this disease that"

"Oh shut up Neville," said Seamus. "Harry doesn't have a DISEASE." Seamus chuckled and Harry gulped glancing at Neville. Neville sounded like he was on the right track, although Harry would never admit it to anyone except Ron and Hermione.

That afternoon when Harry, Ron and Hermione were on the way to Defense against the Dark Arts Harry realized that Professor Lupin would be an excellent person to talk to about this. Why hadn't he thought of it before?

"You know," Hermione said as the trio walked together down the stone corridor. "I suppose all this talk about you having disease is rubbish." Harry and Ron looked at her disbelieving. If Dumbledore's the one who told them, there's practically no chance that it's incorrect. Afterall, how ofter did Dumbledore make a mistake?

"I know you think it sounds crazy, but, I was looking in the library at lunch," Ron rolled his eyes and sighed. "and I came across the book called "Wizarding Diseases and Cures, and in it there was a passage that read that every disease ever come across in the wizarding world has at least some sort of cure or fighting potion."

"Sure," said Ron, "but do you actually think Dumbledore's lying?"

"NO, but maybe he's mistaken."

"You guys I'd prefer if we didn't talk about this right now," Harry said as Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise and Pansy walked towards them.

"What do you want?" Harry said rudely, as Malfoy faced him.

"Hmâ€ NOT very friendly," Malfoy said smiling. "I, as a matter of fact came to let you know that Professor Snape has returned. Isn't that fantastic?" Draco said, assuming that the three would but sad and disappointed, but to Draco's disappointment, they were rather happy.

"Really?!" Harry said. Ron and Hermione grinned at each other. Malfoy twitched.

"Er- yeah," Malfoy said, obviously attempting to think of something mean very quickly before he had to take credit for pleasing his three arch enemies.

"That's great. And do you know what happened to him?" Harry said, trying not to reveal the suspicion in his voice.

"No, but I'm sure since Professor Snape actually LIKES me, he'll tell me today," Draco said raising his head up.

"Right" said Harry, eyebrows raised.

"So," Pansy said, stepping forward, smirking at Hermione and Ron, and then resting her focus on Harry. "I heard you fainted again." Harry's stomach tightened.

Draco and his cronies laughed.

"Did you see another Dementor, Potter?" Blaise said flipping his black hair back.

"No, Potter probably just saw someone in a black coat and fainted," Draco said in a smirk.

"Mind your own business, Malfoy," said Hermione.

"Yeah," said Ron, stepping forward. "If we feel a need to tell you anything about Harry's troubles, we will, but until then, shut your face and find something constructive to do." With that Harry, Ron and Hermione left the five Slytherins and entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. Harry took a deep breath. It's okay, he had to deal with this all the time.

As all the students found their seats, Professor Lupin entered the room looking tired, as usual, but also content and warm.

"Good morning class," He said smiling.

"Good morning, Professor Lupin," The class chanted back.

"Hope you all had a good weekend. I hear next weekend is a Hogsmeade visit," He said. The class started talking very loudly and excitedly and after a moment, Lupin lifted his hand to silence. "I'm glad you're excited. But, I have something to show you today," Lupin said, pulling out a large rectangular glass cage from behind his desk. He pulled off the cover slowly and inside, Harry saw a very large lizard, probably a foot and a half to two feet lying within it and munching on something pink.

"I know what that is!" Hermione said excitedly. Ron rolled his eyes and Harry smiled. Was there anything she didn't know?

"That's got to be the biggest lizard I've ever seen!" Parvati said as Lavender clasped her hand over her mouth. Lupin chuckled.

"Not for long," he said. "Just watch." After a moment the lizard began to shrink and it got so small that the class had to squint to see it.

"That is a Moke," Lupin said. "They're creatures from the lizard family who can shrink at will and change colors as well. They're among the most populate wizarding creatures of all time because it is so difficult to catch one because of the camouflauge. They're very dangerous though. Their teeth are incredibly sharp and today I'm going to teach you a spell to reduce any animals claws and teeth and you will practice and this Moke who I call Garry."

"I knew it," Hermione said. "That's exactly what I thought."

"Repeat after me class," Lupin said. "_Randaralus." _

"_Randaralus_" The class muttered. The rest of the period they practiced it. Hermione, of course, managed to shrink the teeth of her Moke as well as the claws. Harry had shrunk the teeth just fine but made the claws grow even more and Ron's Moke didn't do anything but twitch when he muttered the spell. After class Harry told Hermione and Ron to go on without him while he spoke to Lupin.

"Professor?" Harry said as Lupin packed away all the mokes.

"Yes Harry? Hope you liked the lesson."

"OH of course, sir it was brilliant," Harry said in complete honesty. That spell would prove very useful. "I was just wondering if I could have a word with you."

"Yes I know you haven't quite been well lately." Lupin said now turning to Harry with concern in his eyes.

"You know what happened?" Harry asked.

"Well, only a little. Why don't you tell me." They sat down at one of the student tables and Harry told Lupin about how Every time anyone says Sirius's name he feels sick and naseous and how its getting worse as time goes by. He told Lupin about how he finally fainted after he saw Sirius's face in the mirror and how he had no idea if it was real or fake, and about the "sickness of Loss" disease he apparently had.

"Professor, is there a chance that Dumbledore isâ€ mistaken? I mean, there couldn't possibly be a disease" Lupin cut Harry off.

"Harry I'm sorry I haven't been there for you these past few weeks. I know I've been working andâ€but you've been through so muchâ€ I should have—well, Just know that, except for the three or four days each month when I'm ill, you can talk to me. All right? I'll help you with anything. Anything I can do." Lupin watched Harry sympathetically. This was very kind of Lupin to say. He was one of the people Harry could relate to in his suffering.

"you've been through a lot too, Lupin," Harry said. "He was your best friend."

"and he was your Godfather," Lupin finished.

"Thanks," Harry said. "But, Professor, what do you think I really saw in the mirror?" Harry said.

"I don't know Harry. I really don't know if it was your imagination, or if Sirius really has the mirror behind the veil or something. I just don't know but I'll look into it for you."

"Okay, thanks," Harry said, again. There was nothing he could do but wait so Harry left the room and headed down to the dungeons for Potions.


	20. Silver Serpent Box

Silver Serpent Box

As Harry walked down the corridor and the spiral staircase that lead down to the dungeons he truly did not know what to expect. Would Snape change the way he treated Harry? Would Snape be in his right mind to even remember Harry? Would he ever find out exactly what happened after he left Dumbledore's room that night when he found Snape with Mr. Malfoy? These different thoughts and possibilities continued to race through his head as he finally reached dungeons. He entered the room and to his great disbelief, no one was there. Harry stood perplexed for a moment, trying to decide what he should do and began to walk slowly down the isle of the rows of tables. He looked up to see a shiny Green box across the room on Snape's desk that caught his eye. Harry slowly strode over to it, lead by his curiosity. He gingerly untwisted the silver, serpent latch and opened the box. It was entirely open for about two seconds giving Harry the chance to see a fancy glass vile with a clear liquid inside and what appeared to be a note lying loose on the other side of the box when the lid was slammed down by none other then Professor Snape, missing his fingers by a quarter of a second.

"Well, well, well," Snape sneered at Harry. "Thought that after you saved my life you'd take a shot at destroying it, eh?" Harry narrowed his eyebrows and his mouth opened.

"Sorry, I was just - "

"What the bloody hell were you doing in here, anyway, Potter?" Snape remarked furiously, refusing to take his gaze off Harry for one second. Harry took a deep breath.

"Well, you see I have this class. It's called potions, have you heard of it? Well, anyway, it takes place this period in this room and well… I don't know… I just thought maybe I'd show up and see what was going on." Harry's anger was starting to boil over. How could Snape still treat him this way after saving his life? What a prick! What more could he possibly want?

Snape glared more heatedly then before. He seemed to grow about two feet since the beginning of their little dispute. "Take a moment to observe the blackboard, Potter, and next time you decide to be an imprudent, thoughtless, idiot, don't let it lead you to my personal belongings that are none of your concern." Harry looked up to the black board in the back of the room and to his dismay, right on the board in clear white chalk read, "Go To The Back Room For Class Today -" with an arrow pointing towards the door on the far right side of the room. Harry looked back up at Snape and muttered,

"Sorry," in a tone that delivered a message completely opposite that which he said. And with one last glare at one another Harry stormed into the back room and sat down hard on a stool next to Ron that they had been saving for him. This room was very small compared to the usual classroom. There were shelves, cabinets, and bookcases against walls all around the room filled with different books, potions and jars of all sorts of different disgusting ingredients. This room seemed almost humid where the other was cold and damp and the stools they sat on in here were smaller and appeared to be rotting.

Snape came in just a second after Harry and went to the front of the class.

"I'm not in the mood to be toyed with today so I highly suggest you all pay attention," he hissed as he flung a strand of greasy black hair away from his face. His eyes rolled around the room and his crooked long nose turned up when his eyes fell on Harry. The class was silent. Harry glanced around the room and saw that everyone was so tightly crammed into the spots at the tables that their shoulders were almost all touching. "We're in here today because I have some work to do in the other room so here are your instructions." Snape waved his wand at the small blackboard that covered almost an entire wall of the room. Directions on how to make a Gargoyle Potion covered it. "Here's all the things you'll need," Snape pointed at the pile of supplies and ingredients stacked to one corner the desk he was standing behind. He turned to exit but lingered in the doorway for a moment and turned his head back around and said treacherously, "If any one of you tries anything, and I mean anything, you'll suffer detention down here every after school, morning and evening for the rest of the year." Snape stormed out of the room and the class was silent for a few more moments until a few students were brave enough to cautiously go to the front of the class to retrieve their ingredients. It was going to be a long day.

Hermione sighed and stormed up to the front to retrieve their supplies and Ron glanced at Harry questioningly, and Harry looked down at his hands that were weaved together and resting on the table. After a moment Ron muttered,

"What did you do, mate? To get him so angry I mean." Harry looked sideways at Ron and then he turned all the way to him.

"That's just it, I don't know." Harry sighed and ran his hands through his long black hair. Well, he supposed he did know but was that really it? Was Snape going to treat Harry just the same as he always did after he saved his life? Even if he did open a box on his desk, does that really change what he did? Hermione walked back with a tray of different colorful, slimy, items and a few different measuring spoons and a sheet of paper with the directions on it, which she had copied magically while she was getting the things they needed.

"Well that certainly was interesting wasn't it?" Hermione said under her breath to her two best friends as she rummages through the large tray looking for something. "Why were you late Harry?"

"I – I was talking to Lupin and then when I came in nobody was there and I didn't see the note on the board," Harry muttered.

"How did you not see the note on the board?" Hermione asked.

"I was a bit distracted by the green box with silver snake latches sitting right on top of his desk."

"What green box?" Ron asked. Harry lowered his voice to a whisper.

"There was a green Slytherin box sitting on his desk and I went over and undid the silver serpentlatches and lifted the lid and had a moment to see a vile of clear liquid and a small note when it was snapped shut by Snape. I have a strange feeling that was part of the thing that Mr. Malfoy wanted from him when he was threatening Snape in the Dark Forest," Harry said sitting back in his chair and trying to think about something other then that night or anything else having to do with Lord Voldermort.

"Let's talk about this later," Hermione whispered as if she had read Harry's mind instantly. "I think those Slytherins over there might be able to hear us," Hermione said nodding at a few dark haired slytherin girls glancing in their direction.

"So what does this potion do, anyway?" Harry asked

"It allows any human who drinks it turn into a gargoyle any time they want for a period of thirty minutes," Hermione said excitedly as Ron rolled his eyes. It was going to be a long day.

"Harry could you hand me that jar of cement and Ron could you measure meone cupof chopped rotten celery?" Hermione stired the cauldron with her right hand as she held the directions in her left. Harry was slumped down over the table resting his head on his arms. He was feeling extremely tired and his mind kept wandering onto things other then potions, for example: Sirius, Ginny, Hogsmeade, Snape, The Sickness of Loss...

"Harry?" Ron said.

"What?" Harry mumbled.

"You were asleep," Ron said. "At least I think you were. Come on wake up, we're almost done. Only a half an hour left," Ron said nudging Harry._ How did that happen?_ Harry wondered.

"We only have to add the bat tongues and the five Polish pebbles and then we're done," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

Finally after a long half hour of stiring and concocting a grayish colored potion (the exact color it was mean to be) they poured it into a large vile and turned it in to Professor Snape. As they were exiting through the new smaller room's door into the usual dungeon so they could head up to the commonroom and relax before supper, Harry spotted the note that was before inside the green box lying on the stone ground in front of Snape's desk. It must have blown out of the box when Snape snapped it shut or perhaps it was a completely different note all together. He'd have to see. Harry looked up to see that Hermione and Ron were walking way ahead of him and hadn't yet noticed that he was gone. Harry rushed out the door to catch up. They would have toread this together.


End file.
